[LAD] Guide to Linux Sound APIs

Lennart Poettering mzynq at 0pointer.de
Tue Sep 30 15:13:48 UTC 2008


On Mon, 29.09.08 14:32, Gene Heskett (gene.heskett at verizon.net) wrote:

> >> As Lennart tried to make reasonably clear, the primary goal of
> >> PulseAudio is NOT to act as a new API, but to act as a new
> >> *infrastructure* that supports existing APIs transparently.
> >> I am sure that he would be happy if it eventually takes over the world
> >> and everybody writes apps using its API, but that doesn't appear to be
> >> the goal right now.
> >
> >The reason why I don't ask application developers at this time to
> >adopt the native PA API is that it is a relatively complex API since
> >all calls are asynchronous. It's comprehensive and not redundant, but
> >simply too complex for everyone but the most experienced.
> >
> >Lennart
> 
> I believe (no docs to confirm or deny this) it also is hard coded to pick the 
> first device it finds as the default output device.  Since I relegated the 
> mobo's el simple chipset for use by skype et all, then installed an Audigy2 
> for the real utility audio.  But PA refuses to use the Audigy2.  So it gets 
> nuked.  And then sound Just Works(TM).

You can move any active stream on-the-fly to a different device. Just
right-click on it in pavucontrol. PA will then remember for later.

Also, you can easily make a different device default via paucontrol, too.

> I'd complain, but there seems to be no path to the actual developers other 
> than Bugzilla, and my Bugzilla entries have been "won't fix"ed.  If there is 
> no path from the user who finds his system crippled, leaving him no choice 
> but to nuke as much as he can in order to get any sound.  That of course is 
> not conducive to actually getting it fixed.

rhbz? Ids?

If it's not rhbz or PA bts I won't get notice of it.

> Fix that, so there is a working dialog path back from the user to the 
> developer, and maybe it can be made to work.  As it is, the documentation on 
> it is non-existent, and we the users feel like we're battling with M$, a 
> generally futile endeavor, and that is gonna lead to a lot of profanity & 
> name calling.  This is after all, linux, where choice is a talking
> point.

Actaully there is quite a bit of documentation available. See
http://pulseaudio.org. Developer docs are here:
http://0pointer.de/lennart/projects/pulseaudio/doxygen/

Sure, there can always be more documentation but quite frankly PA
isn't that bad in this area.

Lennart

-- 
Lennart Poettering                        Red Hat, Inc.
lennart [at] poettering [dot] net         ICQ# 11060553
http://0pointer.net/lennart/           GnuPG 0x1A015CC4



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